Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

Northland Police investigating a suspicious fire in Raumanga last week are appealing to the public for information about a vehicle seen in the area.

Police were called to the address on Raumanga Valley Road at about 6.20am on Wednesday 24 September.

Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer, Whangārei CIB, says witnesses described seeing a white vehicle around the time of the fire.

“We are interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen a white car, similar to the one in these pictures, in the Raumanga Valley Road area between 5.30am and 6.15am on Wednesday.

“This vehicle may have been parked up in that area for a period of time prior to the fire starting, or been seen driving away shortly after.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says the investigation team is working hard to piece together the events leading up to and following the arson.

“Please contact us if you are familiar this car, or believe you have CCTV or dashcam footage.

“If you saw a vehicle matching this image, please get in touch because even the smallest piece of information could be valuable to the investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to update Police online now or call 105, using the reference number 250924/3224.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Napier Police have arrested another person while investigating the fatal stabbing of Kaea Karauria in Napier on 11 May.

A 17-year-old female has been charged with intent to injure. She is bailed and set to appear in Napier District Court on 9 October.

Detective Inspector Martin James says that they acknowledge the dedicated team who are not leaving any stone unturned to bring justice to Kaea’s family.

“The investigation into the matter continues and further arrests cannot be ruled out.”

We thank the members of the public who have provided information to help progress the investigation.

Anyone with information who has not yet contacted Police is urged to get in touch online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

Footage can also be uploaded anonymously here.

Please quote the reference number 250511/1317.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are continuing to progress enquiries into the homicide investigation into the death of Kyle Whorrall earlier this year.

Today, Kyle’s mother is calling for those holding onto information in the case to have courage to come forward.

Thirty-three-year-old Kyle was senselessly murdered at a bus stop on St Johns Road, in St Johns, on 19 April 2025.

This week has seen Auckland City Police renew appeals for information, following a search of the Maybury Reserve in Glen Innes on Monday.

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of Auckland City CIB, says forensic enquiries are ongoing into the machete that was located.

“These forensic enquiries are being carried out by PHF Science, and we expect this to take some time to be completed,” he says.

“We will be led by the science on where this takes us in our investigation.”

Meanwhile, the Operation Aberfeldy team have continued the investigation with further search warrants.

“While no further arrests have been made at this stage, I can confirm two further search warrants were carried out on Wednesday,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

“I want to reiterate to those people with information that the opportunity to tell Police what you know is now, please come forward.”

Police continue to keep Kyle’s family updated through the investigation.

Carole Whorrall, Kyle’s mother, has provided Police with a message to release to the New Zealand public:

“I remain deeply grateful for the continued, tireless efforts of the Police in their pursuit of justice for Kyle. Their unwavering dedication to identifying and apprehending all those involved in his murder is commendable. While my foremost priority is securing justice for Kyle and ensuring his legacy endures, I am equally concerned for the safety and well-being of all New Zealanders.

“I implore anyone who may have information, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, to come forward and assist the Police. Your courage could make all the difference. Together, we can honour Kyle’s memory and help protect your communities.”

If you have information, please contact Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 250419/9858, or Operation Aberfeldy.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

A west Auckland teenager has been arrested following two daring burglaries committed under the cover of darkness.

Waitematā West Tactical Crime Unit began investigating burglaries on 27 and 29 September in the New Lynn area.

“Concerningly, these burglaries occurred at night whilst victims were asleep,” Detective Sergeant Anna Freestone says.

“The offender allegedly targeted valuable electronic goods, as well as vehicles parked at the properties with the keys.”

CCTV caught two offenders acting suspiciously around properties nearby.

Investigators quickly progressed enquiries, which took them to a Rānui property.

“The Tactical Crime Unit and the Youth Crime Team executed a search warrant at the address and a 14-year-old male was arrested,” Detective Sergeant Freestone says.

“Pleasingly we have located a range of stolen property during the search warrant, which has been recovered.”

Police have also recovered two of the three stolen vehicles, and enquiries will continue into the burglaries.

Detective Sergeant Freestone says the 14-year-old has been charged with two counts of burglary.

He is before the Waitākere Youth Court and has been remanded in custody.

“This is a great outcome for the victim and community, and Police will continue to act with urgency with this sort of offending taking place,” Detective Sergeant Freestone says.

Police continue to advise the community of the value of CCTV being installed on their property as a deterrent and investigation tool.

If you see suspicious activity occurring in your neighbourhood, please contact Police on 111.

ENDS. 

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are appealing for information from the public following an aggravated burglary in Birkenhead yesterday afternoon.

At around 1.35pm, it was reported three people entered a pawnbrokers on Mokoia Road, smashed display cabinets, and stole various items.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Renfree, Waitematā CIB, says the offenders arrived and departed the store in a vehicle that has been confirmed as stolen.

“This group has then driven to Zion Road, Birkenhead where they abandoned that car and left in a second stolen car.”

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Renfree says Police located that second vehicle abandoned in Potter Avenue, Northcote, and it is believed the offenders left Potter Avenue in a third vehicle.

“We are continuing to make enquiries in order to locate those responsible and hold them to account.

“We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen these people or any of the vehicles involved in this incident, to get in touch.”

Police would also like to hear from anyone who may have relevant dashcam or CCTV footage from Mokoia Road, Zion Road, Birkenhead Avenue,  Pupuke Road, Releigh Road or Potter Avenue, including anyone who filmed the initial aggravated burglary in Birkenhead.

Anyone who has information which may assist is asked to please contact Police via 105 and quote file number 251001/7961. 

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: PHARMAC

New Zealanders living with, or at risk of, HIV could soon benefit from proposed changes to how HIV medicines are funded and supplied.

Pharmac is consulting on a proposal to remove Special Authority and Hospital Indication criteria for all funded antiretroviral medicines for HIV. If approved, from 1 December 2025, people would no longer need to meet these criteria to access funded HIV medicines.

The proposal also includes practical improvements to how HIV medicines are dispensed. All HIV medicines could be dispensed in three-month amounts, rather than monthly, making it easier for people to manage their treatment and reduce pharmacy visits.

Additionally, two HIV medicines – emtricitabine with tenofovir disoproxil and dolutegravir – would be made available on a Practitioner’s Supply Order (PSO) for Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). This would allow prescribers to keep these medicines in their clinics for urgent use.

Pharmac’s Manager Pharmaceutical Funding, Claire Pouwels, says the proposed changes are expected to reduce barriers and improve access to treatment.

“If successful, these changes will support more equitable health outcomes for New Zealanders living with or at risk of HIV,” says Pouwels.

“We know that timely access to HIV medicines can be life changing. By making these treatments more convenient and available, we’re hoping to support people to stay well.”

“We’ve listened to feedback from clinicians, pharmacists, and advocacy groups who have told us that current funding criteria can delay urgent treatment, especially for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). These changes will make a real difference for our communities, ensuring people can get the medicines they need, when they need them,” she says.

Pharmac is seeking feedback from clinicians, advocacy groups, and the public. Consultation is open until 4pm, Monday 20 October 2025. Feedback can be submitted through the online form or emailed to consult@pharmac.govt.nz.

All feedback will be considered before a final decision is made. 

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

For 4 genera – Allium, Diospyros, Olea, and Passiflora – a review of the IHS amendment history, pest lists and measures suggested it was likely that the schedules were outdated and would not manage all pest risks appropriately. This review was tested using a hazard search process, to check for ‘new’ pests now known to be associated with each of the hosts, and which were either regulated and likely to cause harm, or likely to be new organisms in New Zealand.

A structured search approach was used to test the initial review, to give a relatively quick but consistent method for checking for potential pest hazards.

CABI Digital Library

This approach is non-exhaustive and was not intended to create a complete list of potential pest hazards, especially with respect to the most recent research and first-report literature. However, we believe it was sufficiently robust to give a reliable indication of the potential for pest risks not appropriately managed by each of the four IHS schedules.

The process found many new potential pest associations. A significant number of the pests associated with the 4 hosts are regulated in New Zealand, or potential new organisms – hence, they may be biosecurity risks that need to be managed. Here are some examples from the pest lists we collated:

Allium

Fungi: Ciborinia allii, Colletotrichum allii

Bacteria: Pantoea allii, Pseudomonas syringae pv. allii, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. allii

Viruses: Garlic mite-borne filamentous virus, Garlic virus E, Iris yellow spot virus

Diospyros

Fungi: Over 30 fungal species associated with persimmon, including five species of Phaeoacremonium and 10 species of Pseudocercospora.

Phytoplasmas: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasiae’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma omanense’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi’

Olea 

Nematodes: Multiple species potentially associated with nursery-produced plants

Fungi: Colletotrichum godetiae, Colletotrichum nymphaeae, Neofusicoccum mediterraneum, Neofusicoccum stellenboschiana, Pseudophaeomoniella oleae, Pseudophaeomoniella oleicola

Phytoplasmas: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’

Viruses: A range of known and newly identified viruses

Passiflora

Fungi: Alternaria passiflorae, Colletotrichum queenslandicum, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. passiflorae

Bacteria: Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. passiflorae

Viruses: Multiple known and newly identified viruses associated with passionfruit vines, including Passion fruit mottle virus, Passion fruit severe leaf distortion virus, Passion fruit severe mottle-associated virus, Passion fruit vein clearing virus, Passion fruit yellow mosaic virus and Passionfruit woodiness virus.

This initial work indicates that existing measures are unlikely to appropriately manage pest risks. Therefore, we are suspending these four schedules until we can complete the risk analysis for the four genera. 

We know that these four genera are of interest to you. We have added them to our list of requested species, to be prioritised on the work programme at a later time.

Plants Biosecurity Index

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  02 October 2025 Source:  Kaipara Moana Remediation

Kaipara Moana Remediation Pou Tātaki Justine Daw says her team is welcoming the agreement as another significant collaboration to benefit the Kaipara Harbour.

In the Auckland region, DOC administers 45 kilometres of marginal strips which border waterways that flow into the Kaipara Harbour says Alex Rogers, Director Operations, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

“With this agreement, DOC is welcoming local-led conservation on a swathe of small but crucial strips of public conservation land.”

Through the agreement, KMR and DOC are making it easier for landowners with neighbouring land to protect and restore 45km of rivers, streams, wetlands and coastal margins, and reduce sediment flowing into the Kaipara Harbour.

“Further benefits of native planting include restoring habitats for valued species, creating healthier places to swim and recreate, and building greater resilience to storms and floods.

“This is what DOC’s recent call to get out naturing is all about – working together for the benefit of natural places like Kaipara Harbour, in every way we can,” says Alex.

“As New Zealand’s largest harbour system, the Kaipara Moana includes 6,000 km2 of catchment across Auckland and Northland regions, and over 8,000 km of waterways flowing into the harbour – so protecting the Moana is critical,” says Justine.

“The Kaipara has deep environmental values, with some of the rarest ecosystems in New Zealand, including sand-dune, seagrass, freshwater and estuarine wetland ecosystems. As the breeding ground for New Zealand’s snapper fishery, and home to many taonga species, the Kaipara Moana also has major economic, cultural and recreational value,” she says.

Under the agreement, KMR supports landowners and groups to access its grant funding and expertise to plant suitable natives on neighbouring marginal strips and maintain the planted areas through weed control.

Justine says to take part, your land must be in the Auckland region and within the Kaipara Moana catchment, while meeting specific KMR and DOC requirements.

“Your land must also be next to land administered by DOC which borders a river, stream or wetland, or the Kaipara Moana itself. There must be an existing fence between your land and the marginal strip administered by DOC,” says Justine.

All projects under the Agreement focus on planting natives on the marginal strip and maintaining the planted area through suitable weed control.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Government

Three practical initiatives to improve our freight system will support economic growth, productivity, resilience and safety, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

“New Zealand’s freight system is the driving force behind our economy. It gets food and fibres from farms to factories, and then on to shops in New Zealand, or to ports to be exported for overseas markets. Freight underpins economic growth and supports tens of thousands of jobs,” Mr Bishop says.

“As our population grows, so does the demand for goods and the need to accommodate increased freight traffic on our state highway network.

“Each year around 300 million tonnes of freight moves around New Zealand, largely by our Kiwi truckies, covering more than 30 billion tonne kilometres – and freight volumes are expected to increase by 55 percent over the next 20 years.”

“We need to support our freight system to keep up with demand as our economy grows. Today I am pleased to confirm three meaningful steps the Government is taking to keep our freight system trucking along:

1. Launching an Action Plan for Freight
2. Updating the National Freight Demand Study
3. Establishing a Freight Advisory Council 

“The Action Plan for Freight, led by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) places a strong emphasis on maximising the economic value of freight, improving the use of freight data to drive investment decisions, delivering infrastructure that considers the needs of the freight sector, and making improvements to regulatory settings to increase productivity.

“Primary actions in the plan include re-confirming the nationally and regionally strategic freight networks using current data, establishing appropriate road freight levels of service, researching strategic vulnerabilities of the freight network, reviewing and updating the current rest area strategy, updating the methodology for measuring interpeak freight travel time predictability, and delivering the Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme.

“We have heard from freight industry groups about the challenges they face and the need for specific improvements, and I want to thank them for their continued advocacy. NZTA has incorporated this feedback in the creation of this action plan where it delivers public benefit and it is my expectation that through regular and ongoing engagement, further practical initiatives will continue to be added over time.

“NZTA is well placed to lead this work, as our state highways carry almost 75 percent of all freight journeys and connect our regions, cities, towns, inland ports and freight hubs, main seaports, and airports. Together with local roads, that rises to 93 percent of all freight journeys. 

“NZTA will also continue to support KiwiRail through the Rail Network Investment Programme (RNIP) to focus investment on the busiest and most productive parts of the existing rail network to help meet their target to increase the Nett Tonne Kilometres of freight moved by rail.

“Every mode of transport needs to play their part in a well-functioning freight system, through road, rail, coastal shipping, and air – with each mode delivering its own value proposition for customers.

“We’re also updating the National Freight Demand Study. This study has previously looked at total changes in freight movement by mode (road, rail and coastal shipping), commodities transported, and the origin and destination of freight across different regions, and freight forecasts. It provides invaluable data for the freight sector and government.

“The study was paused by the Ministry of Transport last year, and since then the freight sector has been calling for its reinstatement.

“I have listened, and I agree with them – the insights this study generates are essential for making smart investment decisions.

“The National Freight Demand Study will now be the responsibility of NZTA, who will fund and publish it to better understand current and future freight patterns in New Zealand. 

“Finally, the Government will create a Freight Advisory Council. The Council, which will be made up of leaders from across the freight sector and convened by the Secretary of Transport, will meet to discuss issues and opportunities. They will also provide insights and advice to Ministers and relevant government agencies, helping them make informed decisions as we drive our economy forward. We’ll have more to say about membership of this Council soon.

“Whether it’s making better use of freight data to drive investment decisions or improving regulatory settings for increased productivity, these actions for freight will smooth the road for our importers, exporters and freight operators so they can get their goods out across the country, quickly and safely.”

Notes to Editor: 

A summary of the NZTA-led Action Plan for Freight is attached.

Source: New Zealand Police

Whangārei, don’t get caught dozing on the issue of railway sleeper theft.

Police are seeking information from the public about a spate of thefts across the wider Whangārei area in the past two months.

Approximately 180 sleepers have been reported as stolen over this period, Whangārei Area Investigations Manager Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer says.

“These reports have been made from various yards across the region,” he says.

“We suspect that these sleepers are likely being sold off for financial gain, and it’s likely that these are being sold to unsuspecting members of the community.”

The latest theft was reported in the Port Whangārei area on 18 September.

Police are asking for people to come forward if they have knowledge about the thefts.

“We also want to hear from anyone who might have been offered sleepers at a cheap price in the past couple of months.

“Our Tactical Crime Unit is investigating and collating reports, and the team are keen to identify those responsible,” Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says.

People should apply common sense and remain vigilant.

“If something appears too good, or too cheap, to be true then it probably is.”

Anyone with information can update Police online or call 105 using the reference number 250919/9513.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police